‘Idol’ hopeful makes Omaha stop

By Joe Shearer, Photo Editor

There are many stops on the road to becoming the next ‘American Idol.’ For Caleb Halwey, Omaha is one of them.

The shaggy-haired songwriter who recently advanced to the third round of ‘American Idol’ in Las Vegas on Thursday, brought his self-titled musical act to the Waiting Room Feb. 15.

Hawley, backed by a drummer and armed with a guitar and an array of percussive tools, charmed the rock club’s attendees with a catalogue of poppy songs about love and other more humorous topics.

Smiling from start to finish, the young singer showed slight resemblance to well-established jam musician Keller Williams. Like Williams, Hawley keeps his audience amused with silly banter and quirky lyrics. The two also possesses a solid ability to produce melody and rhythm from an acoustic guitar.

He has a swell singing voice, too. Since he’s making a convincing run for the honor of being the next ‘American Idol,’ it doesn’t need to be explained. Perhaps his musical abilities and experience on the road will give him an edge in the future rounds of the ever-popular reality show.